Is there good evidence, other than that they claim it, that
these Republicans are patriots?

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How does a patriot act?
What are the hallmarks of the patriot?

Well, being a person who loves his country, a patriot is
someone who is willing, when necessary, to sacrifice some of his own personal
(perhaps selfish) good for the good of the country. Love is like that, including for country.

We show that we understand that when we honor our war dead:
we make it a patriotic holiday to celebrate those who made the supreme
sacrifice for their nation.

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When have these Republicans shown a willingness to sacrifice
anything, besides other people?

How much weight have they given the nation's good over their
individual advantage? Well, there are
clues.

As soon as a president from the opposition party took over,
the Republicans made a priority of making him fail. Trying to make the President fail may be
politically advantageous, but especially at a time of multiple national crises,
the president's failure inevitably means serious injury to the country.

No patriot would injure the country to get political
advantage.

And now we've got these Republicans threatening to push the
U.S. economy off a dangerous cliff if their demands aren't met. So much for love of country. And what are they are demanding? They insist that the sacrifices in this
country are to be made by average Americans and not by the rich and powerful,
whom these Republicans serve.

No patriot would threaten to send a nation already in
considerable distress (the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression)
into a still deeper collapse--a scenario that many serious economists think
quite possible if the Republicans make good their threat.

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And what about those forces of plutocracy, for whose
interests the Republicans are so fiercely fighting, and who have made out so
well while the rest of America has been losing ground? How ready are they to make a sacrifice when
the nation requires it of them?

With the nation's financial condition in a worrisome state,
with the national debt having grown in relation to the economy as a whole, one
would expect a patriot possessing great wealth to be willing to give up at
least SOME of his enormous wealth to help his country out, even to offer it . But these
plutocratic interests, far from being willing to sacrifice, are demanding,
through their Republican collaborators, that their taxes already at historic
lows--be reduced.

So, other than waving the flag, just what have these
Republicans and those whom they serve done that demonstrates genuine
patriotism?

Andy Schmookler, an award-winning author, political commentator, radio talk-show host, and teacher, was the Democratic nominee for Congress from Virginia's 6th District. His new book -- written to have an impact on the central political battle of our time -- is (more...)